Drake Claims Super Bowl Was Used to Ruin Him—UMG Fires Back
18 April 2025 | New Delhi — Drake’s legal feud with Universal Music Group (UMG) just took a dramatic turn, as the rapper has now added Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance and this year’s Grammy Awards to his ongoing defamation lawsuit.
In an amended complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, the Canadian rapper claims that Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us” at the 2025 Super Bowl — broadcast to over 133 million viewers — was a calculated move to “assassinate” his character. The song, which originally included an allegation of pedophilia (later censored for the halftime show), was still understood by the public to be defamatory, according to the suit.
Drake argues that UMG, which represents both artists, helped orchestrate the spectacle. The suit claims UMG used its business influence to secure Lamar’s headline slot and pushed a performance that amplified “false, malicious, and damaging” claims.
“It was the first, and hopefully the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist,” reads the complaint.
The drama didn’t end with the NFL. Drake is also calling out the Grammy Awards, where “Not Like Us” won big — grabbing five major awards, including Song and Record of the Year. According to the lawsuit, the song’s performance during the ceremony further spread its defamatory message, and UMG played a part in getting it there too.
UMG Pushes Back as Drake Doubles Down on Super Bowl ‘Assassination’ Claims
Drake’s legal team, led by Michael Gottlieb, said the new evidence only strengthens the case: “Drake will expose UMG’s misconduct, and they will be held accountable for their reckless actions.”
But UMG isn’t backing down. The label responded sharply, calling Drake’s lawsuit “absurd” and accusing his lawyers of leading him into a legal disaster. In a statement, UMG said: “Drake, unquestionably one of the world’s most accomplished artists and with whom we’ve enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled… into taking one foolish step after another.”
UMG went even further, warning the artist that if the case continues, he could be forced to undergo discovery himself — including producing personal communications and records. “What his team calls a win could backfire spectacularly,” the company said.
In its motion to dismiss, UMG argues Drake is simply upset over a rap battle he willingly joined — and lost. “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds,” the label’s legal team stated.
Drake, however, is holding his ground. His camp maintains that the fight is not about rap battles, but about being defamed in front of millions. A spokesperson for the rapper said he’s “holding the largest music conglomerate in the world accountable for its actions and doing so without fear.”
UMG has until 7 May to respond to the amended complaint with a new motion to dismiss. Until then, the battle between Drake and the music giant continues to grow more public, more personal — and way more complicated.